Opinions expressed represent those of the person who posted them. All entries are posted as per the original author. Thanks to all who responded!
| Your Name: Robert Craig Your Email Address: nphs.choir@yahoo.com Type your answer here: Yes. I require all students to tryout (so most actually do). I also make sure that each student is prepared for the audition. I believe this process is very educational/beneficial for the students. |
| Your Name: Michael Crouch Your Email Address: mcrouch@gobs.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: The only group of students that I require to audition for all region is my chamber singers. This is a choir selected by audition only. These student are well aware of the requirements for a reasonable shot at making such a select choir. Over the years, I have found that forcing a student (especially the young ones) to audition for all-region has at times only left for the student a bad taste and a less than desired musical experience. I allow any student in the high school choir that wants to try out for all region to do so. I also preface with honesty about the difficulty and demand on their time so that the student (weather he/she makes it or not)has a good experience with the process. |
| Your Name: Carrie Taylor Your Email Address: carrie.taylor@dover.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I require all of my students to tryout for region. Before the audition day I try to listen to them...so that they are prepared to sing "solo" and not "ensemble". Especially in junior high this gives them an opportunity to be exposed to solo singing and staying on a part. And they are "used" to the tryout procedure by the time they get to senior high. In senior high some who sing well enought to make all region will sometimes choose not to try out simply because they want a "free period" when I am concentrating on the region music. (Which, ha, ha they realized they didn't get even when I didn't require them to tryout) I think part of my responsibility to my kids is to "help" them get out of their comfort zone!! Yes, I am one of those who has a few kids come through and really bomb!! Sorry! |
| Your Name: Janie Cunningham Your Email Address: jcunningha@thor.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I don't require my students to tryout, but I do require them to learn the music. I use the music for my first nine weeks lesson plans. All students have to number the music and learn their part during class. For the serious competitors, I also have after school practices. I talk about the tryouts a lot and encourage the kids to tryout. |
| Your Name: Ferroll Taylor Your Email Address: ferrollsongbird@alltel.net Type your answer here: I do not require all of my students to tryout for all region. I DO require all of them to learn the region music. I think the audition process should be the student's choice not mine. |
| Your Name: Dawnelle Fincher Your Email Address: dfincher@fayar.net Type your answer here: I require my auditioned classes to tryout. Quite a few of them will audition for something, at some point in time, and I think the more you do it the better you get. However, I would like to stress that I hear each of them individually, prior to auditions, and I provide extra rehearsals outside of class. We spend our first nine-weeks working on All-Region music (after a brief fundamentals review)and our Fall Concert features both of the junior highs and high school perfoming much of the music together. |
Your Name: Beverly Finley Your Email Address: cfinley@bscn.com Type your answer here: I require my select choirs to tryout because they should be the most dedicated in futhering their musical experiences. Tryouts are optional for my open enrollment choirs because not all of those students are ready for that kind of competition. |
| Your Name: Carol from Clinton Your Email Address: grayc@clinton.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: No, I do NOT require auditions, just encourage it, and try to help them prepare via after-school rehearsals. I've personally never even considered making it mandatory. |
Your Name: dennis griffin Your Email Address: dennisg@shilohsiants.org Type your answer here: yes unless they are obviously not equipped with the talent to compete or not embarass themselves |
| Your Name: Elaine Harris Your Email Address: elaineh_72120@yahoo.com Type your answer here: Yes, I do. I require all of my advanced classes to audition. We are learning it all in class this year. That is the focus of our 1st nine weeks along with skills. |
| Your Name: aharrison Your Email Address: aharrison@lions.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: yes, all. I think it's a very important experience. |
| Your Name: Retha Kilmer Your Email Address: rkilmer@mhs77.dsc.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: My select choir has to tryout. Others, I greatly encourage to try. |
| Your Name: Mark Langley Your Email Address: MarkCLangley@gmail.com Type your answer here: I require all my students to audition. 1)Most kids won't find their potential if not nudged a little 2)I find students that audition are more confident in themselves and about singing within their own choir afterwards. 3)We do 80% of the Region music on our fall concert anyway, so the students know the music pretty well already. |
| Your Name: Mel Lowe Your Email Address: mel.lowe@hector.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: No. I only have 27 in my band, I can't afford to loose any. They all go and do their best. |
Your Name: Lauren McNutt Your Email Address: lauren.mcnutt@lavacaps.org Type your answer here: I require most. I have several special ed boys whom are not required. Coming from a small town it is hard to get any of my students motivated to do anything. I think that region is an expierience that some would never experience if they were not required. I know that some directors especially those who have to listen to some students who have no chance in the world, hate that I bring them. But why should we discourage a student from a musical experience that could change their life. |
| Your Name: Stephanie Mendenhall Your Email Address: smenden@carlisle.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I decided this year that I would allow my students to choose whether they wanted to try out. A majority of my students are VERY young in their musical abilities and would be frustrated & drop choir. I need all I can get! I just strongly encourage them to try-out, and so far I've got several that are going to try. I give them extra credit on their grade for trying out - but don't punish those who don't. My goal is for each student to be successful in whatever they do. |
| Your Name: tina Your Email Address: jayniederbrach@cablelynx.com Type your answer here: yes i do require all of my students to tryout for all-region. reasons: If I chose there would be someone left out who would make it- if they chose some of those that have the talent would never do it. There are always a variety of keys, expressive markings, and languages that forces them to learn quickly. By practicing every day they are using their voice and expanding its capabilities. The work ethic it creates takes them a long way on the road to maturity. The choir family unit that it creates in group practices can't be replicated. The chance to compete with oneself and with others helps the student grow as a musician and a person. |
| Your Name: Dan Phillians Your Email Address: dphillians@wynne.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: It is required for all. It gives them a challenge at the 1st of the year. It makes them read. They all have a common goal. They need to appreciate the aspects of going through an audition process, using their nervous energy, whether it's a job interview or broadway aduition. It's their chance to do something as an individual rather than as part of a group. I also let them sing any part they want (I'll offer suggestions) so they can't blame me. After that it's MY decision. |
| Your Name: Rachel Pinto Your Email Address: rachel.pinto@yahoo.com Type your answer here: I'm new at my school this year, so I'm not requiring it as they were not required previously. I've already told them it will be required next year. |
Your Name: Thomas Rickman I stress that being in Goblin Singers is a great responsibility, and part of that responsibility is representing the school at All-Region tryouts. I do, however, pay their fees, since it is required. |
| Your Name: Rachel Johnson Your Email Address: rjohnson@timberwolve.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: Yes, Year III and IV students are required. They are advanced enough to handle the additional material, and they need the experience if they are considering majoring in music later. I leave it as an option for year I and II; a large percent are only in choir for required credit. Most of my year II want to audition, however. |
| Your Name: Amy Roberts Your Email Address: roberta@centerpoint.dsc.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I don't require my students to try out, partly b/c of my own experiences. I had directors that both did and didn't require it, and I always appreciated being able to choose for myself and resented being "made" to do something. Also, being in a rural, low-income area, I have several students who can't go b/c of transportation issues, work schedules, etc. |
| Your Name: Becca Your Email Address: BeccaSanders@aol.com Type your answer here: No. We do not spend time in class learning the music, so they have to devote a significant amount of time learning the music on their own. I help them, but I don't 'teach' it. |
| Your Name: Wilma Trout Your Email Address: wtrout@rison.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I require those who, in my opinion, would profit from the experience and/or have a good chance of making the choir. |
| Your Name: Winston Turpin, Jr Your Email Address: wturpin@fortsmithschools.org Type your answer here: No! If receiving money for scholarships in college is not motivation enough, then making them only causes resentment. There are many, many other things that it is necessary for me to require them to do. This is not one of them. |
| Your Name: nick wammack Your Email Address: nickwammack@hotmail.com Type your answer here: I am not to a point to where I require all region. I open it up to any student who wants to try out and encourage students to try. All of my students who tryout MUST sing for me before the registration deadline. I give them a rehearsal schedule and a guide as to where they should be at each week in their music. |
| Your Name: Scott Whitfield Your Email Address: scottwhitfield@yahoo.com Type your answer here: Students in advanced choirs have to try out for All Region. Others are "encouraged" to try out. I have found that students make remarkable advancement when they know that they are going to be individually accountable. |
| Your Name: David Willard Your Email Address: david.willard@cps.k12.ar.us Type your answer here: I require all of my Senior High Select Students to learn the music for Audition. I use the selections on the Fall Concert and provide each student with at folder of "Non-Copied" music and audition CD. Students must attend the audition at Cabot before they are allowed to go to the region audition. Students that are not prepared for the Cabot Auditions and/or fail to attend the region auditions must sing the auditions spots in class on Monday after the event. Exceptions are made for illness, family emergencies or school conflicts. The students that miss will sing in front of the choir for a grade that will replace the zero that earned at auditions. The students may replace up to 75% of the audition points by singing in front of the choir. This procedure is "in writing" in the CHS Student Course Selection Guide. Usually, 80% of my students audition at region. The others sing, or choose not to sing, as we look at the judges comments on the day after the event. ******I feel that the music selected for All Region is and should be of higher quality literature that should be incorporated into our programs. Students from small schools or who sing in Treble Only Choirs need the opportunity to sing in a Mixed setting that the Region Concert provides. Also, My students are more capable of singing independently through the audition process...thus making more musical students for the entire choir. |